Carlton Marsh SWT

  So when you tell a story stat at the beginning. So here we go. My birding started when I was 11 years old. We had moved from London to country. In fact a place called Layer-de-la-Haye, Essex. I started to watch then trap birds and coulor ring them when one day the village copper turned up at the door and had a chat with my dad. The next Satuarday the officer turned up at our house and took me to an old house, the home of General Charles Brian Wainwright. He put me in his Vauxhall Cresta estate. and it was the start of bird ringing for me with his and Roy. Below is a pic of him a few years before I worked with him.

Carlton Marsh SWT:  The day proved interestin with the best being four HOBBIES that flew through catching dragonflies. This was late realy when you consider it's the last day of September. But it was also the day to pick up three SAND MARTIN heading of to Africa. Species list was 26 for the day. 

Pathways and Ness Point

 Regular walk around the farm the best bird was an obvious KINGFISHER but also seen a CHIFFCHAFF and two GREY HERON put on a show. Altogether 19 species and a SMALL WHITE BUTTERFLY. Then a to the Ness. Best bird here was a LITTLE GULL on the water. A few GANNETS most immiture  flying North with three OYSTERCATCHER on the outlet. Also a HARBOUR PORPOSE heading North 400 yards off shore.

Coopers Beach, Mersea Island.

Family spent there week here and we joined them for the day. I and Stev went and had a look at the flood marsh, The pic shows it as the tide is leaving after flood tide. No real surprises here but just good to see what they have done by letting the tide come in.

It was good to see a small flock, 6 of LINNET, mostly young birds. Plenty PIED WAG around the caravans and the most numerious gull BHG. As for LITTLE EGERET there wa 21 in a set of dead trees. Two GREY HERONS. Also REDSHANK at 22 and a single CURLEW. SANDWICH TERN 9, SWALLOW 3 with a surprise in two LITTLE GREBE.

COOPERS BEACH EAST MERSEA.

That time of year?

 Home: This morning another WILLOW WARBLER in the garden with the BLUE TIT'S, ROBIN and usual stuff.

Leath's Ham: As I drove by a couple of COMMON BUZZARD flying above Ballantines. Evidently just missed an OSPREY while I was in Lidle's

Pathways Care Farm: Very little change, but the few gadwall had already gone. Two CPMMPN BUZZARD were soaring overhead. Three SWALLOWS and just the usual stuff but I did get a GREEN VEINED WHITE.

The garden again

 Yesterday proved interesting with 17 LONG TAILED TITS counted as they flew through. Other than that the usual BLUE TIT, WREN and Robin. Also interesting was at 5:35 pm a very brief fly by of a goose over Lake Loathingland. To me it's size being small I make two assumptions. One it was a BRENT GOOSE and the other a PALE BREASTED. Reason is that up to 14 have been seen in the area and one today at Links Hill. So to me my assumption is not provable.

Out and about, well?

 Call in at Somerlyton Staith and the first bird a RED KITE flew right over us and although brief it was the job. It was followed up with a very dark COMMON BUZZARD also was a very odd bird, with such a long neck and beak. But that was it except for WOOD PIGEON.

Home this am: Sat in the garden again. Two SWALLOWS flying South and a KESTREL on roof at the bottom of the garden. I also had WREN and Robin.

  

This Herring Gull was at Links Hill and was evidently privatly rung by the person who reared it.

Home: The start of the day with two SWALLOW  flying South followed by a KESTREL that was roof sitting. Before I could get my bin's on it, it was gone. Hopefully note the RFF. Also five CORMORANT and WREN, ROBIN, BLUE TIT and GREAT TIT. But the best again was a HUMMING BIRD HAWKMOTH.

Somerlyton Staith call in with a RED KITE  strait away. Followed by a COMMON BUZZARD.

 

Carlton SWT

 Species list for the day was 28, nothing remarkable but with still some lingeri9ng migrants. The best bird was a TREEVREEPER but small stuff flying with LAPWING was unidentifiable. Good to see just one SNI[PE and four REDSHANK. I suppose the real stand out animal was a BLOODY NOSED BEETLE. It seems that they cannot fly but hang around slow moving on the deck. No surprise that this is what this job was doing.